Floating wind turbines are to be the initial focus of a new agreement between Britain and the U. S. The two nations have chosen to collaborate in the development of floating wind technology designed to generate power in deep waters currently off limits to conventional turbines but where the wind is much stronger. The UK and US are both making funding available for this technology. The development emerged as energy ministers from 23 of the world’s leading economies gathered in London recently to discuss accelerating the transition to clean energy technologies. The US and UK agreed on a new Memorandum of Understanding on ‘Collaboration in Energy Related Fields’.
In the UK, the Energy Technologies Institute is currently in the process of commissioning a £25 million offshore wind floating system demonstrator. Participants in the project will be tasked with producing an offshore wind turbine that can produce 5-7 MW, by 2016.
In the US, the Department of Energy have recently announced a US$180 million funding opportunity for up to four Advanced Technology Demonstration Projects in US waters – which potentially could include a floating wind demonstration.